Hell's Kitchen, Dec. 8 – Around the World in One Challenge

Nona is next and presents her Mussel and Pasta dish. She went a little overboard with ingredients; it is more like a kitchen sink. They like the flavors, but feel she combined two dishes to create one.

Russell is next. He has basically made a Duck a la orange, which is very French. The twist would be a simple curry powder marinade. Trev thinks this is too easy for the French-trained Russell and calls him Mr. Fancy Pants. The judges think that the duck is overcooked and cut too thick. They also think the dish is missing the Indian fusion. Russell thinks his dish was the best and tell the diary cam that they can kiss his [bleep].

So far it seems everyone has failed to impress. It is up to Jillian, the one who knew nothing and guessed. This might be one of those times that less is more. She is going to up to the table believing she is going to crash and burn. She has made rice, shrimp and sausage. Jillian gets praised across the board with her dish. Chef DuBose tells Chef Ramsay that he would have it on his menu. She wins unanimously.

Jillian gets to have lunch with Chef Ramsay at Spago. The losers must shrink the dorms down and prep the kitchen. Jillian runs upstairs to change and look nice. She meets Chef Ramsay with an oversized zippered sweatshirt, a too-low tank top and a pair of heels so high she can’t walk in them. This cannot possibly be the next spokesperson for a vineyard. Chef Ramsay meets her at the limo, tells her she looks lovely and off they go to lunch. She tells Chef Ramsay she was happy to beat Russell at anything. He comments that he is sometimes a bit too cocky for his own good.

Back in the kitchen, Russell, Trev, and Nona are prepping when a moving truck arrives. They have to go upstairs and strip down all the unused beds and carry down the mattresses. Trev doesn’t understand; he believes he did really well at the challenge and doesn’t think it is fair to do this punishment. A real chef would have felt a knife through their heart if three award winning chefs called the food they prepared tasteless. Nona and Russell are plugging away at the task. Trev is complaining.

Russell has had enough, he tells the diary cam that Trevor is like a zit on his butt. You want to get rid of it, but you know it is going to hurt, and you can’t reach it. What the heck kind of comparison is that?

When Jillian gets to Spago, she and Chef Ramsay are joined by her husband and two children. Chef Ramsay actually leaves Jillian to have lunch with them. If that was me, I would be begging him to stay. In a few days I would be returning home to my family; it would be more important for me to pick his brain over lunch. Who am I kidding? I would never leave them to begin with. Jillian’s family is all excited that Mommy is going to win.

In the kitchen Russell, Trev, and Nona continue prepping. Russell is all over Trev, following him around pointing out everything he is doing wrong. Jillian comes back, and Nona is the only one that acknowledges her. Russell and Trev are too busy getting angry with each other. Jillian is happy to see that. She is hoping that their attitude flows into service tonight, leaving Nona and Jillian to shine.

A couple of minutes before service, Chef Ramsay lets the chefs know tonight they will each get a chance at running the pass. The doors open to Hell’s Kitchen.

Russell is first to run the pass. Russell is doing well and food is leaving the kitchen. Chef Ramsay tells him to taste, taste, taste. Chef Scott has just snuck pecans instead of walnuts in the truffle salad. Russell catches them. Russell catches raw scallops brought up by Trev; Chef Ramsay sees them also. Trev thinks that Russell is just picking on him.

Russell asks Jillian to help Trev; this just makes matters worse. Now Trev is yelling at Jillian to back off. Trev is yelling back at Russell. I am not sure who that reflects worse on. Trev for not being able to take direction and get it done, or Russell for not having respect from his staff. Russell does well and goes back to his station.